


we've got faith, we've got the plan (and we've got Jack)

by Rehearsal_Dweller



Series: did they bust up your brains or something? [5]
Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Multi, Sheer self-indulgent nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:28:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23403748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rehearsal_Dweller/pseuds/Rehearsal_Dweller
Summary: "What do you say, Jack? You in or you out?"
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly, David Jacobs/Jack Kelly/Katherine Plumber, David Jacobs/Katherine Plumber, Jack Kelly/Katherine Plumber
Series: did they bust up your brains or something? [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673425
Comments: 25
Kudos: 101





	we've got faith, we've got the plan (and we've got Jack)

**Author's Note:**

> I got, like, four comments on the last fic officially requesting the OT3 finale for this series, and since I really wanted to write it that was ALL I NEEDED.
> 
> So if this isn't your cup of tea, feel free to pretend this series ended with "and yes, we're terrified," I won't be offended. BUT if you're like me and you got hooked on the Jack/Davey/Kath dynamic the moment you saw the show, this fic is for you :D

“Davey’s going back to school,” Jack says. It’s February, and he and Katherine are sitting as close as they can get away with in public on a park bench. There’s tension in every inch of him, and Katherine knows that those five words are meant to articulate all the complicated feelings that go along with their fact. Jack isn’t known for being particularly verbal if he can avoid it, instead relying on Davey and Katherine to know him well enough to understand what he means.

And know him well enough, they do.

“You’re still going to see him,” replies Katherine, reaching out and taking Jack’s hand in her own.

“He’s gonna busy, Kath,” says Jack. He fidgets with her fingers, his eyes on their joined hands. “I – what if he – god, he’s so much better than all this, you know?”

“I’m sure he’d disagree,” Katherine replies. “Look, Jack, maybe you see him less, but Davey won’t want to drop out of your life. He cares about you as much as you care about him. Maybe you’ll have to make time on purpose where you usually wouldn’t, but you’ve been doing that with _me_ for months.”

“Yeah, if you say so.”

From there, the conversation wanders other places, but Katherine can tell that Jack is still on edge. She wishes there were something she could do to ease it, but she knows that this is out of her control.

Katherine finds Davey the next morning and pulls him into a quick hug. “I heard you’re going back to school!”

“Jack tell you?” Davey guesses, glancing down the block toward the boy in question. He catches her hand as she pulls back from their hug, squeezing it. Neither of them lets go, so their hands hang between them as they chat.

“Of course,” says Katherine. “He’s afraid you’ll forget about him.”

Davey laughs, but there’s a flush across his cheeks that has nothing to do with the cold. “I could never. You know how Jack is.”

“I know exactly how Jack is,” Katherine replies, grinning. She squeezes his hand again.

“Anyway, we’re still going to sell papers on weekends,” says Davey. “After no small amount of negotiating with my parents. They wanted us fully focused on school, which is understandable, but Les needs an outlet for his energy and we’d both miss our friends.” He looks away from her, rubbing the back of his neck with his other hand. “Plus, at the end of the day, we could use the extra money.”

“Does Jack _know_ that you’re still going to be selling on weekends?” asks Katherine. “I swear, you’d think he thought you were leaving the country.”

“It’s what I led with!” Davey says, rolling his eyes. “That boy, honestly.”

“He’s a handful, but he’s ours,” says Katherine.

Davey tenses, looking for a moment like he might drop her hand and shove his own deep into his pockets – his go-to position when he’s uncomfortable – but he stops and squeezes her fingers again instead. “More yours than mine, I think.”

Katherine doesn’t argue, but they both know it isn’t quite true.

It becomes even less true over the next few weeks. Once Davey is back in school, time Jack might before have had just for Katherine – late in the evenings, between editions on the weekends – becomes the only time he can find for Davey, too. As a result, they’ve been spending more and more time with the three of them all together. Katherine is a little surprised by how little it bothers her never to have much time alone with Jack anymore; they still catch their small moments here and there, but Jack-with-Davey is at ease in a way Jack Alone never seems to be, and Katherine feels lucky to get to see it as often as she does.

And then, of course, there’s Davey himself. Katherine honestly adores Davey, despite the rocky start to their relationship. He’s kind and soft-spoken while also sharply witty and drily sarcastic. He’s easily become one of her very dearest friends in the few months they’d known each other, just as firmly as Jack had.

(He’d also brought his sister Sarah into her life, and Katherine had so sorely needed more female friends her own age who didn’t look at her with pity for having a career.)

She knows Davey feels vaguely guilty for “stealing” Jack’s company away from her, but Katherine doesn’t want to take Jack away from Davey any more than he wants the reverse. Hence the natural conclusion – they spend time with Jack together, and they spend time together with Jack.

“Don’t you ever get tired of having me around all the time?” Davey asks one evening as the three of them sit perched atop the Jacobs’ building. “I’m sure you want some time for yourselves once in a while, I’d be happy to give you some space.”

“Don’t be silly,” says Katherine. She’s sitting between the boys, her knees pulled up to her chest. She leans on Davey a little, grinning. “Jack would miss you too much.”

“For a day or two?” replies Davey. His tone is playful now, but she knows his original question was genuine. “I suppose you’re right. What if he thinks I’m never coming back?”

“Exactly,” Katherine says, laughing. “He needs attention or he’ll think you’ve forgotten about him.”

“Hey,” Jack says. He shoves Katherine lightly so she bumps into Davey, too. “That ain’t fair, it’s two against one.”

“It’s always two against one in this relationship, Jackie,” replies Davey. He freezes when he realizes exactly what he’s said, going faintly pink. “This – this friendship is built on me an’ Kath ganging up on you.”

“Don’t I know it,” says Jack, laughing. He reaches around Katherine to take hold of Davey’s hand. “She ain’t wrong, though, Dave. We got no problem with you bein’ around. I’ll take every minute with you I can get.”

Katherine feels, rather than hears, Davey’s breath catch. He goes very still for a moment.

She sighs, shaking her head. These boys of hers.

There’s a pattern here. They’ll be playful, affectionate, happy, then one comment or gesture or touch brushes across some invisible boundary line and neither Jack nor Davey can speak properly for another ten minutes.

“It’s getting late,” she says, snapping the two of them out of their quiet tension.

Davey looks up at the sky, as if the moon were going to contradict her. “I’ll be honest, I’m glad you don’t mind having me around.”

“Here’s me, thinking you hated it,” Jack replies. He throws his free arm around Katherine’s shoulders, but he’s still holding Davey’s hand across the front of her with his other one. “Why bring it up?”

“I don’t want to intrude,” Davey says quietly. “But as long as you guys want me around, I’ll be there. I’ll take every minute with you I can get.” It’s clearly a very conscious echo of Jack, although Davey seems like he’s someplace else entirely.

Katherine rests her head on Davey’s shoulder, Jack’s weight shifting with her as she leans over. “You’re never intruding, darling.”

“I love spending time with the two of you,” Davey says. He bites his lower lip for a moment before continuing. “I – it never quite feels like we have enough time, you know?”

“You feelin’ okay, Davey?” asks Jack. He pulls away from Katherine a little to lean forward and study Davey’s face.

“What?” says Davey. He shakes his head a little. “I’m fine. Just thinking.”

“Overthinking?” Katherine asks. Last summer, Davey _overthought_ himself sick, so Katherine and Jack are both understandably a little on edge about his odd behavior. Jack had helped him work through it then, and Katherine can feel how tense he is at the prospect of a repeat.

“No,” Davey says. He presses a small kiss to Katherine’s hair. He’s done it a handful of times before, but not often by any means. She wonders what he’s thinking about that makes him do it now. “Sorry, I don’t mean to worry you.”

“You never do,” says Jack. His voice wavers a little.

“I’m fine,” Davey repeats. He lets go of Jack’s hand so he can slip that arm around Katherine, just below Jack’s. “Just enjoying the night.”

Katherine sighs contentedly, letting herself relax into the moment. It really _is_ getting late, and if she’s going to go home tonight she really needs to leave now, but –

_But_ the air is pleasant, she’s between her two favorite people in the world, and surely there’s a few more minutes to be carved out for this.

As if he’d read her mind, Davey says, “You know, Katherine, I’m sure Sarah would be happy to share with you if you want to stay the night. She’s always saying she doesn’t get enough time with you.”

“Les wouldn’t be as thrilled,” Katherine replies, grinning. “He never likes it when I stay over.”

“Les can sleep on the couch for the night, it won’t kill him,” says Davey. “He’s just dramatic.”

“Excuse me,” says Jack, “did I miss the part where _I_ was invited to stay the night and accepted?”

“That’s a given,” Katherine and Davey say in unison. They dissolve into giggles as soon as they’re finished.

Les shares Davey’s bed, unless Jack stays the night. When Jack stays the night, Les shares with Sarah, except on the very few occasions when Katherine _also_ stays the night. Still, on those rare evenings when it’s gotten too late for Katherine to comfortably walk home, though Les complains he never really puts up a fight before relocating to the main living space to set up on the couch. Katherine’s been invited to stay a few more times than the handful she’s accepted, Jack is asked often and rarely turns Davey down.

Once she’s pulled herself together, Katherine says, “I shouldn’t, though. I have an early interview tomorrow, and Sarah and I always find so much to talk about, I’m quite sure I’d never get to sleep.”

“An’ keep _us_ up all night, I’m sure,” Jack adds, laughing.

“You would think of that,” says Davey. “Here’s me, trying to make sure our Kath is _safe_ , not walking the streets of New York alone in the middle of the night, and you’re concerned with how well you’ll sleep.”

“I want Katherine safe!” Jack protests playfully.

“Boys!” Katherine interrupts, suppressing renewed giggles. “ _Boys_. I have to go.”

“Just a few more minutes, love,” Jack pleads, his arm around her shoulders tightening to pull her a little closer.

“If I stay a few more minutes I’ll never leave,” says Katherine. As much as she’d like to stay, she can’t risk being tired tomorrow. And she and Sarah _do_ always find themselves up half the night talking. She wriggles carefully out of the boys’ arms, much to her own disappointment. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

“Not tomorrow,” Jack says, “I got plans with Crutchie.”

“Then I’ll see Davey tomorrow, and we’ll see you the day after,” Katherine replies.

“Oh, you will?” says Davey, but he’s grinning.

“Unless you’ve got other plans, too?” says Katherine.

“As a matter of fact, I do not,” Davey says.

“There you go, then,” says Katherine, “it’s a date.”

“Hey, ain’t you supposed to be doin’ those with me?” Jack says, half laughing.

“What do you call _this_?” Katherine replies, playfully punching his shoulder.

“If it’s a date then I’m _definitely_ intruding on something,” says Davey.

“Never,” Katherine and Jack say at almost the same time. They look at each other, then back at Davey, both faintly pink.

Davey half-whistles, then visibly bites down on the inside of his lip for a moment. “And I think we should call this conversation right here, before we say anything else we’re not prepared to sort out.”

“Is there something to sort out here?” Jack says, but his voice is half an octave higher than it usually sits and he’s not making eye contact. “I didn’t realize there was any sorting to do –“

“Oh, there’s some sorting,” says Katherine. It shouldn’t take much beyond digging through everyone’s insecurities, because everything’s just below the surface – the way Davey’s breath stutters when Jack’s touch is too gentle to pass off as casual, the way Jack’s sketchbooks steadily fill with as many drawings of Davey as of Katherine (and notably more of both of them than anyone else he knew), the way Davey lights up at the sound of her laugh, the way Katherine’s own heart flutters when Davey gives her a genuine smile. “But not tonight.”

She kisses Jack goodbye, and after a moment’s hesitation presses another swift kiss to Davey’s cheek.

She’s halfway down the fire escape before either boy has a chance to react.

\--

Davey is waiting for her outside the Sun’s offices the next evening when she finishes work.

“I don’t know if you were serious about spending some time together today,” he says, looking just a little nervous, “but it seems like we might need to talk. Away from Jack, I mean. I know we talk all the time.”

“I was serious,” Katherine replies immediately, taking his arm when he offers. It feels a little odd for him to escort her formally, when so much more often they hold hands like little children, but it’s nice. “Jack is _not_ a requirement for the two of us to see each other. And you’re right, we’ve got a lot to talk about.”

They walk aimlessly for a while, chatting and greeting newsies they pass on the street. Romeo raises his eyebrows, glancing back and forth between the two of them when he sees them walking alone together, but fortunately doesn’t make any comment one way or another. They see each other often enough that there isn’t much new news to share, but today Katherine was _finally_ assigned her first big article in a while despite a little bit of resistance from some of her coworkers, so she starts explaining the situation to Davey as they walk. She’s excited about it, if more than a little frustrated by her fellow reporters.

“- and anyway, it’s not as if anyone else was _interested_ –“ Katherine trails off, looking at Davey. He’s watching her talk with a funny little half smile on his face, looking unbelievably fond. “What?”

“Nothing,” Davey says, and she almost believes him. “It’s nice to hear you talk about something you’re so passionate about. I can tell you’re excited, it’s –“ He looks away from her, his cheeks pink. “Beautiful.”

Not by any means the response she was expecting. “Oh.”

“You can keep telling me about the project, if you’d like,” Davey prompts, turning back toward her.

“No, that was it, really,” Katherine says. She squeezes his arm, knowing she’s blushing a bit as well. “It’s a great opportunity, I’m really excited about it.”

“That’s great, Kath,” says Davey, “I’m really happy for you.” Unusually boldly, he gives her a quick peck on the cheek. “You are an amazing reporter, and it’s wonderful to hear that the men you work with are finally wising up to it.”

“Thank you, Davey,” replies Katherine. She finds she doesn’t quite know what to do with herself. It’s rare that anyone is this vocally supportive of her; Jack is supportive but not verbal at all, her mentor Denton shows his approval by making sure she gets published, and her family barely support her at all. “I’m not quite sure I deserve the praise, but –“

“Well, I’m sure,” Davey says, an edge of stubbornness to his tone. He stops dead, pulling Katherine to a stop as well, and makes very careful eye contact with her. “Darling, I know you’re not used to hearing it, but that doesn’t make it untrue. You are so good at what you do, and Jack and I are both unbelievably proud of you, even though he doesn’t always say it.”

Katherine smiles, touched. “That means a lot to me, Dave.”

“Good,” he replies, and they start walking again. “ _You_ mean a lot to me.”

“Likewise,” says Katherine. She tips her head to the side so it rests on Davey’s shoulder for a moment. “So. Darling?”

“ _You_ say it,” says Davey, but he’s looking straight ahead, avoiding her eyes. “Lord, Kathy, are we doing this?”

“If you’re ready,” Katherine replies. “Unless you’d rather not be out on the street while we talk about it?”

“We’re near home,” Davey answers. “Rooftop alright?”

“Always,” says Katherine.

They fall silent – not an uncomfortable silence, but not a completely easy one, either. Neither says another word until they’ve reached Davey’s building, bypassing the front door in favor of going around the back and climbing the fire escape.

“So,” they say at the same time. Davey gives her a silent _after you_ gesture.

“So,” Katherine repeats. “ _Darling_ , I’m going to tell you an observation I’ve had, and you’re going to tell me if I’m right.”

“Be my guest,” says Davey. He looks nervous again, but determined. His hands have found their way deep into his pockets. Katherine takes a deep breath before she speaks, glancing around. They’re unlikely to be bothered up here, none of the building’s other tenants really use the rooftop, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“I think you’re in love with Jack.” Davey stills, his eyes wide.

“Katherine –“

“Wait,” she interrupts, holding a hand up. If she doesn’t say this now, she may never. “I think you’re _also_ in love with –“ she hesitates, flushing bright red, “me.”

“ _Kath_ ,” Davey says. He moves a little closer, catching her hand and lacing their fingers together. “You can’t just – just _say_ that.”

“Am I wrong, Davey?” asks Katherine. “Come on, darling, be honest with me. Am I wrong?”

“No,” Davey says, his voice very quiet and a little hoarse. “No, you’re not wrong.” He sighs, running his free hand through his hair. “Can we sit, for a minute? There’s a story I think I need to tell you.”

“Alright,” says Katherine. She lets him lead the way over to their favorite spot on the rooftop, where they can lean against the half wall and look up at the sky. Davey sits down first, then gestures for her to join him. He opens an arm and she curls up next to him and rests her head on his shoulder.

“You remember last summer?”

“All of it?”

“Smartass,” Davey says, nudging her affectionately. “You know what I’m talking about.”

“After the strike,” Katherine says.

She’s looking down, at their hands that are laced together again, but she feels Davey nod. “After the strike. When I was – when I was out of it for a couple days.”

“When you scared Jack half to death,” adds Katherine.

“Yes, then, thank you,” says Davey. “I made him swear it wouldn’t change anything between us, but I – I told him what was really bothering me.”

“Which was?” Katherine prompts gently.

“That I’m in love with him,” Davey answers. Katherine only hears him because they’re tangled up like this; if she were any further away his voice would’ve been lost to the wind. “That when he kissed you in front of me for the first time I fell apart, and I’d been picking up the pieces all week.”

“Oh, Davey.”

He nudges the top of her head with his cheek, and she looks up at him. His eyes are a little watery, and Katherine’s suddenly aware that hers are, too. “Hey, hey, I’m alright.”

“Promise?”

“Promise,” he says. He presses a small kiss to her forehead. “That day in August, though, Kathy. I told him the truth and he – you know he loves me, too?”

“I know,” she answers. She’s known that longer than she’s been sure of Davey.

“But he was already involved with you, and he loves you so much,” Davey continues. “I wasn’t going to let him screw that up over _me_. Not when I’m not a safe choice and I love you so much, too. I didn’t know, then, how much I’d love you. But I cared so much already and – and I wasn’t going to let him break your heart.”

Katherine laughs. “Of course. Of _course_ you were more worried about my heart getting broken than your own. Self-sacrificing idiot.”

“Shut _up_ ,” Davey says, but he’s laughing a little bit too. “He kissed me that day. He hasn’t since.”

“Would you like him to do it again?”

“Katherine.”

“I’m serious, David.”

He squeezes her hand, looking up at the sky. “God, Kate. Of course I do.”

“Kate?” she echoes.

“Sorry,” he says.

“No, it’s alright,” Katherine says. “I just wasn’t expecting it.” He nods, and for a moment neither of them says anything else.

“All this time, I’ve been waiting for the two of you to be tired of having me hang around you all the time,” Davey says eventually. “You’re a young couple, you’re bound to get married, you don’t need a tag-along.” He looks back at her, biting his lip. “Thing is, I can’t bring myself to stop.”

“How many times do we need to tell you for you to believe that we _want_ you around?” says Katherine. She pulls away from him so that she can sit on her knees facing him fully. “Davey. _David_. Listen to me. We love you.”

“Katherine –“

“No,” she says. “We love you. We want you with us as much as we want to be with each other, because we _love you_.” She smiles. “Have I said that enough times, or do you want me to say it again?”

“No, I’m – Kath – _Kate._ Katie, are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Davey says, words catching on each other as he tries to speak a little too fast for his own mouth. “Because I don’t know if I could stand it if you aren’t.”

“I’m saying,” Katherine says, suddenly realizing that she didn’t really plan this out and it's going to come out rambling, “that I, personally, love you. Romantically, and in a number of other ways besides, just as much as I love Jack Kelly. I’m saying that I know that Jack loves you, too. And I’m saying that if you’re – if you’re interested in figuring out what that could mean for the three of us, if you want to have a future with us, you should tell me. And then we can ambush Jack with it tomorrow.”

“A future,” Davey says, and it’s so painfully quiet. Katherine’s bared her soul and her deepest, most reckless wishes, and he’s _so quiet_. “What’s a future look like for us, Katherine?”

“I think we’d have to work that out with Jack,” Katherine answers, and her voice is failing her, too.

They’re in this delicate, quiet moment, and Katherine’s afraid it’ll shatter if she even breathes wrong.

“If you want to.”

“I do. I really, really do.”

“You know,” she says, “I love you, David Jacobs.”

“What a funny coincidence, Katherine Plumber,” he says, “I happen to love you, too.”

Kissing Davey isn’t exactly a decision she makes, rather it’s a natural extension of how close they’re sitting and how much they’ve leaned into each other already and the fond look in Davey’s eyes and the bubbly feeling in Katherine’s chest. It’s nothing like kissing Jack, gentle and hesitant in a way Jack has never been, but it’s also exactly like kissing Jack because it feels like coming home.

“David! Are you up here?” Sarah’s voice calls, and Davey and Katherine explode apart, scrambling away from each other.

When she finally comes around the corner to where the two of them are putting themselves back together, Sarah frowns. “Everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine,” they say in near unison. Katherine catches Davey’s eyes and they both start to laugh.

“O _kay_ ,” Sarah says. “Katherine, are you and Jack staying for dinner? And, uh, is Jack even here? Mama wants to know.”

“No,” Katherine replies, “to both. Davey and I needed to talk about something, but I think we’ve got it settled now. Am I right, Dave?”

“Definitely settled,” says Davey, a little pink. “And we can talk it over with Jackie tomorrow?”

Katherine nods firmly. “I’m sure he’ll be on board.”

Davey stands, and offers Katherine a hand to pull her to her feet as well. “See you then, darling.”

“See you then,” Katherine agrees. She pats Sarah on the shoulder as she walks by to leave. “Nice to see you, Sar. We’ll have to find some time together soon.”

“For sure,” Sarah says, looking just a little baffled.

As Katherine leaves, she hears Sarah say to Davey, “What was all _that_ about?” and she has to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing out loud.

\--

“How was your little _date_ yesterday?” Jack asks casually. It’s midday on Saturday, and they’re walking through the park together. Katherine’s on his right arm, and his left is slung around Davey’s shoulders. To his surprise, Davey goes a little pink and Katherine giggles. “What?”

“It was fine,” Davey says, “good. So much _quieter_ without you, we should do it more often, eh, Kate?”

“Oh, definitely,” Katherine says, still giggling.

“Hold on a minute,” Jack cuts back in, “since when is she _Kate_?”

“Yesterday,” Davey and Katherine chorus.

They’re both laughing now.

“Now I feel like I’m bein’ excluded from my own relationship,” Jack says. “What’d you guys _do_ yesterday?”

“We talked,” Katherine says, and Jack can tell she’s being honest. “There’s something we need to talk to _you_ about, actually, but it might be better discussed a little later.”

“When we’re alone,” Davey adds. Davey’s right arm is wrapped around Jack’s waist, and Jack feels him reach for Katherine with that hand for just a moment before settling it back just over Jack’s hip.

There’s something different between them. Jack can’t put his finger on exactly what it is, but there’s been a noticeable change in tone. It’s definitely not a bad thing, though. Davey and Katherine both seem at ease, relaxed from a tension Jack hadn’t even realized was there.

“Alright,” Jack says. “I’m glad the two’a you had fun.”

He spends the rest of the day in a state of utter distraction. He’s very curious what’s gotten into his friends (his loves, though they don’t usually discuss it). Davey’s smiling more than usual, wide and bright and easy. Every time he turns one of those blinding smiles on Jack, it makes his stupid heart speed up.

It’s been months since Davey confessed his feelings on a sticky August afternoon, and Jack can’t get it out of his head. He’s still head over heels for Katherine, too, more than he ever would have expected, but there’s no forgetting how he feels about Davey.

He has a sneaking feeling that Katherine knows where he and Davey stand, but she hasn’t said anything about it and she hasn’t run screaming, so Jack isn’t worried. And she’s the one who insisted that Jack not worry about splitting his time between the two of them, a few months ago when it became clear that his options were to see them both less or to see them both together.

(Anyway, he’s seen the way she looks at Dave sometimes, and can’t help but wonder if she’s caught up on him too.)

“You good, Jackie?” Davey asks as they walk together toward the building where the Jacobs family lives. “You’ve been unusually introspective today.”

“Huh?”

“You’re pretty deep in your head there, love,” Davey amends. He flicks the side of Jack’s head playfully. “What’cha thinkin’ about?”

Jack tries to ignore the way his breath catches at Davey’s words, especially in that casual tone. Like the man says it to him all the time. “You and Kathy. You two and your conspiring’s gonna be the death of me.”

“I hope not,” says Davey. “You dying would put a real damper on our relationship. With you, anyway, I’m sure Kath and I would be alright with each other eventually.”

Jack laughs despite himself. “Oh, would you now?”

“Don’t worry though, I’d wait a respectful amount of time before proposing to her,” Davey says.

“Oh, now you’re gonna marry my girl once I’m dead?” Jack replies. He pokes Davey’s side, getting a satisfying yelp from his companion.

“Maybe I am!” Davey says, poking Jack back. “Who’s gonna stop me, _you_?”

The whole thing devolves very quickly into a play fight as they walk, but Jack doesn’t mind in the slightest.

“What on earth are you two doing?”

Katherine, it turns out, is waiting for them outside of the building. She’s standing with Davey’s sister Sarah, and the two of them are looking at them like they’ve grown second heads.

“Well Davey said –“

“Jack started it –“

Katherine just laughs at them, and turns back to Sarah with a heavy eye roll. “Well, Sar, I’m going to take these two someplace where they won’t make a fool of me in public, see you later.”

The thing about the roof of the Jacobs’ building is that it’s fairly private – not a lot of people spend as much time on rooftops as Jack does, and as long as they’re not too loud the only company they ever get is the occasional visit from Les or Sarah – while also being public enough that it’s somewhere approaching appropriate for an unmarried girl to be hanging around with two boys unaccompanied. Not that propriety is a serious concern on any of their minds.

As evidenced by the fiery kiss Katherine plants on him as soon as the three of them are alone. Jack is reeling when she steps back, because even after a few months she can still knock him off kilter with just a kiss. He’s still in a bit of a daze when she leans over and catches Davey in a kiss, too.

“Woah, woah, woah,” Jack says, “s’that allowed?”

“That’s what we want to talk to you about, love,” Davey says, but he’s looking wide-eyed at Katherine. “I didn’t think we were going to introduce the concept like _that_ though, Kate. Good lord.”

“You upset?” Katherine says, smirking.

“No, but – god, Katie, warn a guy,” says Davey. His face is very, very red.

“Jack,” says Katherine, “Dave and I had a very interesting conversation yesterday.”

“Oh, did’ja?” Jack replies. He’s feeling a little mixed up, a little lost. On the one hand, here’s some evidence that the two people he’s head over heels for are into each other, on the other what if they’ve decided _he’s_ not a necessary piece of the puzzle. “Christ, Dave, you weren’t kidding about marryin’ my girl, were you?”

“After a fashion,” Davey says. “Look, Jackie, we – _Katherine_ realized something, and she told me and she’s right.”

“You love Davey, don’t you, Jack?” Katherine says gently. “The same way you love me, not just as your best friend.”

Jack feels an awful lot like all the air has been knocked out of him. Sure, it’s true, but it’s not one of those things you just go and _say_. Davey’s watching him intently, looking more than a little nervous himself. He’s biting down hard on his lower lip, and his hands are deep in his pockets.

“Well yeah,” Jack says, and it’s _embarrassing_ how breathless he sounds. “You know I do, Davey.”

“Great,” says Davey, a little hoarse. “Here’s a headline for you, Kelly: _union leaders declare mutual affection_.”

Katherine snorts, and her hand flies up to her mouth. “I’m sorry, I just – that was a little much, Davey.”

“I know, I know,” Davey says, “it just came out. _Walking Mouth_ and all – words came out before I really thought it through.”

“S’at you trying to say you love me, too?” Jack replies, through a laugh of his own. “It’s – look, Davey, you’s a master with words usually, but that ain’t exactly your best work.”

“I’m owning that,” says Davey, “but yes. I do.”

“Nothing changes, you said,” Jack says, the memory sobering the moment. Davey’s face falls, too. “We wasn’t gonna talk about it, because –“

“Because of me,” Katherine finishes. Both boys turn to look at her, and she looks sympathetic and fond, a small crease between her eyebrows. “I’m sorry for the heartache that must’ve caused both of you.”

“Thanks, Katie,” Davey mumbles. She slips an arm around his waist and he relaxes by fractions.

“Jack, as you may have figured out,” Katherine says, “and I do mean _may,_ since your observational skills are occasionally lacking –“

“ _Hey_!”

“I’m just teasing,” says Katherine. It’s not an assurance any of them usually have to give, but tensions are high. “Jack, I love you. And I love Davey, too.”

“That’s – oh.”

“And I love you,” Davey agrees, his eyes on Jack. “And I love Katherine.”

“And I love the both’a you,” says Jack. It feels very suddenly like he can breathe again. “Are you suggestin’ that the _three_ of us start –“

“I’m kind of suggesting that the three of us already _are_ involved,” Katherine interrupts. “When’s the last time you and I spent an evening together without Davey? When’s the last time we wanted to?”

“It’s been a while,” Jack admits.

“So what happens now?” Davey asks. “It’s all well and good that we – that we’re _involved_ , or whatever. But what does that actually look like?”

“Right now, we keep doing what we do,” says Katherine, looking remarkably calm. “Except maybe with a little more –“ She pops up on her toes to peck Davey on the cheek – “and then down the line we – you two were thinking about getting an apartment together anyway, right?”

“Yeah,” says Jack. He’s catching onto her line of thought now. “So me and Davey get a place. I got a job, and with brains like yours it shouldn’t be hard for you to get one once you’s outta school.”

Davey’s nodding. “And then you two get married, and Kathy can move in with us.”

“Us two?” Jack says, waving between himself and Katherine.

“Well it’s not like you and I can do it,” says Davey. “And you and Kate are already together, it’s what people will expect. And maybe they won’t expect me to keep living with you, but we’re poor. Rent splits easier three ways than two.” He pauses, biting his lip. “Assuming you – _we –_ want to get married.”

“That’s some proposal, Jacobs,” Katherine replies.

“What, you can do better?” he says.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Jack cuts in. “I ain’t even gotten a chance to _kiss_ Davey, and we’s gettin’ married?”

“ _That’s_ manageable,” says Katherine. She bumps Davey’s hip with her own.

He rolls his eyes, but darts forward and hooks an arm around Jack’s neck to pull him in. He presses a firm kiss to Jack’s lips and it’s everything and nothing like the kiss last summer. This one is confident and determined and so, _so_ Davey. He pulls away, still holding tight to Jack. “What do you say, Jack? You in or you out?”

“Was there ever really any doubt?” Jack says, grinning. “I’m in. Kathy?”

“I’m yours,” Katherine says. She steps closer, letting the boys pull her into their hug.

From here on out, the future was a bit uncertain, but it was definitely bright.


End file.
